Conveyer system



Eay i8 ,1926.

F.B.PEEBLES CONVEYER SYSTEM ZSheets-Sheet l s-fx? Filed June 18.

May 18 1926. 1,584,889

F. B. PEEBLES CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed. June 18. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll Patented May l, i926.

Sres

FRANK 113.

PEIEBLES, OF SYRAC'USE, NEW YRK, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON COMPANY, OF SYRAC'USE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATIN OF MASSACHUSETTS.

conversa srsrnM.

Application led June 18, 1923. Serial No. 646,018.

This invention pertains to conveyer system oi' that type in n'liichthe Aarticles to be transported are liited'to a proper height by means ot an endless chain and thenare automatically released from the chainY and deposited upon a more or less horizontal track or rail running to the desired destination and relates more 'particularly to the means for automatically transferring the articles from the elevating chain to the rail. V

,lilhen such a system is employed for transporting articles which are not usually packed in bor; s or barrels, such for example as sacks of grain, bunches oli bananas, etc., it is common to employ wheeled carriers or trolleys having;l hooks or other means tor holding; the articles during transportation and provided v'ith elements by ine-ans oi which they may be attached temporarily to the elevating,r chain and lifted with their loads to the level oi the tracks or rails.

liVhen the trolley with its suspended load arrives at the level of the track it must automatically be disengaged from thel chain and deposited upon the track Without interference With or damage to or dropping of the load.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide improved and preferably `adjustable`devices tor disengaging the trol` leys from the elevating` chain Without danger ot' their accidental reengagement therewith and Without disturbing' their loads, and also tor accurately engaging the Wheels ot the trolleys with the conveyer tracksv or rails.

ln the accmnpanying,` drawings, in which one preferred ei'i'lbodiment oi the invention is disclosed;

Fig. l is a fragmentary plan view ot that portion of the conveyer system at'ivhich the articles being' transported vare transferred from the elevator chain to the conveyer tracks.

Fig. 2 is a 'fragmentary side elevation, partly diagrammatic and to larger scale than Fig. l, showing certain of the elements illustrated in the last named figure.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section to larger .scale on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. l

Fig. i is a vertical section to larger scale on the line 4 4 oi' Fig. e).

somewhat Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3, andy Fig. 6 is a vertical section to larger scale on the line 6-6 oit Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l. indicates vertical members or supports of a trame Work upon which the ope'rative'elements of the conveyor are mounted, While the numeral 2 designates certain substantially horizontal ineinbers oi suchV frame uv'ork.

A shaft is journaled to turn in suitable bearings car ied by the supporting` trame work and this shalt lis provided, near its opposite ends, with sprocket Wheels indiwiredV at rlhese sprocket Wheels serve to ,f'separate and guide an endless elevator chain consisting or the spaced link-chains 5 and 6 and the transverse connecing bars i', one only of which is shown.

The bars 7 are preferably formed of angle iron and to each end ot each bar afbra'cket 8 (Fig. 6) is secured by means ot bolts 9. i dog l0 is secured to each oi' the brackets 8, preferably being integral therewith. These dogs are substantially alike and are `niovided 'with symmetrically disposed cam surfaces il and 12 respectively.

Sleeve-like bosses 13 project from the outer faces of the dogs l0,I being designed to receive pivot pins let cai 'ed by links ot the chains' 5 and 6. lhe pins lll thus connect the transverse bars 'l' 4to thechains 5 and t3 and constitute pivots about which the bars 'i' may turn. ln the construction described it is possible to remove the bars 7 by springing the chains 5 and l away troni each other so as to permit vfijt-lnlraival ot the pins lll from the sleeves 123, although such capability ot disengagement forms no essential feature of the present invention.

lilach ot the bars fr' is provided with one or nore spaced hooks 20. Preferably each bar is provided with two such hooks arranged respectively near its opposite' ends. Other hooks such as 2l may also be secured to the bar 7 intern'iediate the hooks 20 it desired. rlfhe hooks 2O are so disposed that their thr ats or openings are presented forwardly in the direction ot movement oi' the elevator chain. These hooks are con veniently -formed oi"l fiat bar material and till 'Hifi are of substantial width transversely of their direction of travel as indicated at 23.

'lhese wide hoolis are particularly intended for engagement with the pivoted bails let of article supporting trolleysI rllhese hails e cupv a inibstan'tially vertical position when er( ged by the hooks but 'when diseiu f ll freely to a substantially hoi mail position. lllach trolley comprises a frame in which a grooved trolley wheel 26 is journalcd, and a depending arm il? Awhich terminates in a hook 28. Preferably the parts are so arranged that the bend of the hoolr lies substantially in the vertical plane of the trolley wheel.

it either side of the elevator' chain a reg leasing cam 230 is arranged. These cams v() lie substantially in the vertical planes respec-tively of the dogs l() carried by the bars 7 and are supported upon brackets 3l and mounted upon guard rails 33 which eX- tend just below the chains 5 and 6 respectively. These releasing cams 30 are preferably formed from angl-e iron and are of 'substantial length in the direction of movement of the elevator chain. Preferably the ends of the cam members 3() are bent or curved downwardly as shown in Fig. 2.

ln accordance with the preferred arrangement the brackets 3l and 3Q are provided with vertical slots 84s to permit of their vertical adjustment with respect to the rails while the cam members 3() are provided with horizontal slots 35 permitting their horizontal adjustment relatively to their' supportingbrackets.

The elevator chain extends as shown in Fig. 2 in a downwardly inclined run at 36 just vbefore it passes upwardly about the sprocket wheels 4.

A pair of receiving rails 37 are disposed beneath the inclined run 36 of the elevator chain and extend substantially parallel respectively to .the paths of movement of the hooks 20. These rails are secured to the frame members 2 by means of spacer brackets 37a (Fig. 3) and are provided with free terminal portions extending oppositely to the direction of movement of the elevator chain.

The terminal portions 38 of the tracks or rails 37 are substantially horizontal so that the run 36 of the elevator chain gradually converges toward the horizontal plane of the portions 3S of the rails. At the point 39, the rails 37 begin to incline so that they diverge from the chain which near this point begins to move upwardly about the sprocket wheels. The point 39 at which the rails begin to incline downwardly is substantially below that end of the cam member il() at which dog` l0 first has contact therewith.

'llre rails 25T are preferably disposed in vertial planes slightly to the left 'L lessees and 3) of the vertical planes of movement of the centers of the respective hools. rl "heV extremities l0 of the rails 37 are deflected to the right as viewed in Fig. 3 and gradually taper in height.

The operation of the device above described is substantially as follows, it being assumed that the elevator chain isv n'ioving in the direction of the arrow A and that an article supporting trolley 25 carrying a bunch of bananas B is hung suspenden lfron one of the hooks 20.

iis the chain advances, the tapering extremity Zl() of one of the rails Si 'enters tween the trolley wheel 26 and the hook 28. lf the bail 24k of the trolley should be positioned to the extreme right in the supporting hook 20, the engagement of the curved extremity of the rail will crowd the trolley slightly to the left as viewed inllig. 8 so that the plane of the groove of the trolley wheel will assuredly be brought into coin evidence with that oll that rail.

is the chain advances the hook 20 gradually approaches the upper surface of the rail until at the point 39 the entire weight of the trolley and its load is carried by the rail. At this point the surface of the dog l() engages the releasing cani member 3U which causes the dog lll to swing in a clocl-:- wise direction7 thereby turning the bar 'i' and tipping the hook 2O until it releases the bail 24. The latter tends to drop immediately to a horizontal position and, as the cam 30 is of considerable length, the hook 2O is positively prevented from reengaging'the bail.

As soon as the trolley is released it begins to move down the inclined portion of the rail 37, thus carrying it rapidly away from the hook 2O so that by the time the latter is released by the cam 30, the trolley bail is out of reach. "he trolley now contmuesl down the rail 87 to its point of destination, being propelled by gravity or any suitable mechanical device, not shown.

lf, in approaching the lend l0 of the rail 3T, the trolley bail Q4 should be at the cstreme limit to the left in the hook 2t), it may not contact with the curved extremity of the rail but by reason of the placing of the rail somewhat to the left of the vertical plane of the center line of the hook the proper engagement of the trolley wheel with the rail is nevertheless assured. Such engagement is also made more certain by the fact that the weight of the article supliti ported upon the hook 28 tends to swing the trolley into engagement with the left side of the rail.

lVhile a preferred form of the device is herein illustrated, it is contemplated that various changes, both in form and proportion of parts, may well be made in accordance with the circun'istances of the particular situation in which the device is installed masses without departing from the 'spirit ot trie present invention.

l claim:

l. It conveyor system comprising a flexible conveyor moving` in a path including a downwardly inclined run followed by an upwardly inclined run, a forwardly open lioolr carried by and secured to the conveyer, and a lined track substantially parallel' .to and below the path ot movement oi the hoolnsaid track comprising a substantially horizontal section followed oy a downwardly inclined section, the point ot' intersection ot' said track sections being disposed below 'the dowi .vardly inclined portion ot the patli ot the hook.

2. A conveyer system comprising` a flexible conveyer' moving in a path including' a downwardly inclined run followed "by an upwardly inclined run, a forwardly open hook rotatably supported upon the conveyer, va tiied track substantially parallel to and below the path oit movement ot the hoolr, said trae-: comprising a substantially horizontal section followed by a downwardly inclined section, the point ot intersection ot said tract; sections being disposed below the downwardly inclined portion of the path et the hooll:7 and Vmeans tor rotating the hoolr to release an article carried thereby substantially as the hoek passes such point ot intersection o'lE the rack sections.

Il. A conveyer system comprising a fierible conveyer consisting` ot spaced parallel chains connected at intervals by bars, torwardly directed trolley supporting' hooks mounted upon the respective bars intermediate the chains, means for guiding the chains to cause said bars to niove in a downwardly inclined path merging into an upwardly directed path, means for releasing' the trolley troni the trolley supporting hool at a, wardly inclined path, and a rail disposed in a vertical plane slightly to one side ot the vertical plane oi movement ot the center oit the hools and having aportion so disposed with respect to said downwardly inclined path to engage the trolley vand sustain a substantial part et the weight ot the latter betere it is released troni its supportingl hook.

il coiiveyer system having an endless chain comprising' a rotary hook carrying member provided with an actuating' dog; having' an eccentric contact element1 a hoolr carried by said member, and a relatively lined cani member having a substantially rectilinear active surface converging,` toward the path ot the chain7 said cam member being` positioned to engage the eccentric contact element of the dog` whereby positively to turn said hook carrying` member and thereby tip its hook to disengage an article supported thereby, the active surface chain comprisln point adjacent to said down-v to retail the hooi: in article disengaging' position 'for an appreciable period ol time whereby to insure release ot the article.

5. A conveyor system having an endless e' a rotary hoolt carrying orthe cani being .of substantial length so as bar provided with an eccentric actuating' den', at each end, a plurality ot' hooks 'tired to the bar at spaced intervals, and cani inenihers haring elongate substantially straight active surtaces converging toward the path ot the chain, said cam members being constructed and arranged respectively to eu- .wiper members arried by the hook supporting bar and engageable respectively with said cams whereby to turn the bar, and rails arranged to receive the articles and to support the latter' when they are released from the l oois.

'4"'. A conveyer system having an endless chain couifeyer comprising' a rotary hoolr support-ingl member, a normally fixed cani provided with spaced elongate slots, bracltet members, pins passing through the slots in the cani adjustably to connect the latter to the bracket members, said bracket members having,v elongate slots disposed substantially at ri t angles to the slots in the cam, pins passing through the slots in the brackets adjustably to connect them to a liXed support, a wiper member tired to the hook supporting nieniber and engageable with said cani as the conveyor moves to cause said hook supporting member to turn relatively to the chain and thereby to release au article supported by its hook.y and a rail arranged iu position to receive the article when released troni the hook.

8. il coiiveyer system having` an elevator' chain provided with a hool supporting; member 'forming a. part ot the chain, a hook secured thereon, the open side ot' the lioolr normally facing' in the direction of its movenient with the chain` and a receiving: rail extending substantially parallel to' and slightly to one side oi the vertical plane oll movement o'f the central point orn the lioolt.

9. A conveyor system having' an endless chain comprising a hook supporting nien ber forming; a permanent element ot the chain structure, a hook having a bend ot substantial width iXedly secured to said Aso 

